November 23, 2010

And this strangely sanctimonious journalist — she's writing in the always awful "On Faith" section of The Washington Post — condemns Palin voters for "cheating" 7 paragraphs after she confesses to doing something that is at least as much cheating as what the Palin fans are said to be doing.

Not only that, but I vote. Under the show's rules, you're allowed to vote five times on one line. I have six lines at home and my cell, so I vote as many times as I can for my favorite.

So this lady, this longtime Washington powerbroker, has 6 phone lines, and she maxes each line out, each week, voting 30 times. But that's the show's rules. They can't tell how many individuals vote are voting. They can only see phone numbers. So if your family of 5 watches the show and you — you economic losers — only have one phone, you can make 5 calls. Sally Quinn happens to have 6 phone lines, so she gets 30 votes — under the rules.

This season, I'm voting for Jennifer Grey all the way. She is by far the best dancer on the show.

She's voting correctly. For the best dancer. You stupid people are voting for Bristol Palin. Lord knows why.

.... Brandy - a fabulous dancer -- was eliminated last week. She was definitely my runner up. (Jennifer has to win. She's head and shoulders above everyone else.) We were having a dinner party and I made my guests leave the table to watch the final half of DWTS. Norman Lear was with us. Norman is not a DWTS follower but got caught up in the moment too. As the music started and I waited breathlessly to see Bristol be told she was out. I was squeezing Norman's hand when Brandy, not Bristol, was sent home. I couldn't believe it. Neither could the judges and studio audience. Derek and Jennifer's mouths dropped open. Boos could be heard.

Oh, the social life I'm missing! Norman Lear! Ah! And I'm stranded out here in the heartland where I can only imagine the sparkling, witty conversation. Perhaps: "The American voters are pretty damned stupid"... that sort of thing.

It seemed Bristol and her partner were just as surprised. Brandy cried. I have to confess I teared up. It just didn't seem right.

Bloggers, columnists and TV commentators jumped on the results. There must be cheating going on, they said. It was all a tea party plot. That could be the only explanation for this appalling miscarriage of justice.

Sarah Palin's detractors point to the Christian right as the culprits here. The say groups organized voting schemes to game the system and were telling each other how to cheat when voting at ABC.com.

Commenters on the conservative blog Hillbuzz.org said they had figured out how to enter more votes than the rules allow by creating fake e-mail addresses. One person posting on Hillbuzz said "Lord have mercy, I voted for three hours online! I got 300 in."

What is a "fake e-mail address"? The rules say you are allowed 5 votes from each email address, just as you are allowed 5 votes from each phone number. Some people have multiple phone numbers and some have multiple email addresses. What's the difference? All I can think of is that you have to spend money to have multiple phone numbers, and you can get multiple email accounts free. It feels so right for rich folk to get more. I love when liberals slip up like that.

I never remember all Ten Commandments off the top of my head, but there should be one that says, "Thou shalt not cheat while voting on 'Dancing with the Stars.'" Polls have shown that the majority of tea party members are conservative Christians. Are these Christians who are voting 300 times and not using valid email addresses? Doesn't it offend their sense of fairness, if not ethics and morals?

Well, that whole paragraph offends my sense of reason. You're just assuming that the votes are coming from Christians, imagining that these Christians pontificate about morality, and accuse them of cheating when they seem to be following the same rules that let you vote on 6 phone lines? You're blind to your own hypocrisy, even as you have a platform in the Washington Post where you can preen and try to look like you have something especially important to say about religion.

She has six phone lines. Hanging out with Norman Lear. Has to interrupt dinner to go watch her show. Can't have plans on DWTS night because she'll miss the show.

She's rich, but like 1976 rich.

No DVR, doesn't get this email thing. Six phone lines, but this email thing is disturbing to her, all the new technology. Probably invites all her friends over to watch DWTS on her large screen projection television set.

The popular votes can be gamed, so Quinn games the heck out of them while whining about "Christians" messing up her world. She's another Prince Charles, so privileged that she EXPECTS that she will always count for more with her idiotic statements, than viewers of this popular show about amateurs enjoying learning to dance. If any fool like her only wants to see a professional performances, then go to the Ballet and see frozen drones moving in perfection on their toes.

I remember when I quit buying and reading the WP. Saved me over $100 a year. More importantly, it saved me a lot of time which allowed me to listen to friends and colleagues. Better info and better wit. Win-win!

Regarding multiple phone lines, wasn't that an issue in the landmark case Spinelli v US. Louis Spinelli was a "known bookie" who associated w/ other known bookies and he had multiple phone lines in his house. The guilt by association decision?

I took a constitutional law class. A stupid, Irish law prof[also a local plaintiff's attorney/ambulance chaser] on the first day of class asked if I was related. I told him Spinelli is a fairly common name and that was a demeaning question. I got a B...deserved an A.

As the music started and I waited breathlessly to see Bristol be told she was out. I was squeezing Norman's hand when Brandy, not Bristol, was sent home. I couldn't believe it. Neither could the judges and studio audience. Derek and Jennifer's mouths dropped open. Boos could be heard.

Awwwww. The poor little Palin-haters are distraught.

I'll be voting 1200 times again for Bristol. I'm not a christian or Tea Party member. And I don't even follow the show.

But I love making libtards cry. Consider it some payback for all the cheap shots they leveled against Sarah.

My take is that people are sick and tired of phony, sycophantic creations of some Hollywood PR slob, and are voting for a genuine authentic person like themselves.

("But what shall I tell my public about how I was driving my Range Rover at 75 MPH and smashed into the back of a stopped car and killed them?")

"Just tell them that there was no evidence that you did anything wrong. Then pause and get very emotional and say how devastating it was to you, and how you wish you could go back and change it all. Then hopeful and more cheerful, say that if, through your experience, some young girl is inspired to work hard and becomes a big star like you, then your personal suffering from the accident will have all been worth it.")

I voted ten times - five text votes and five from my home phone. Not because I watch the show (my wife does), but only because my thinking is if the libs think there is a vast conspiracy, well, why disappoint them.

And as to voting ten times in one election . . . well, now I know how a Democrat feels.

I dug the basement by hand, built cement forms and slowly but eventually poured all the walls out of cement that I mixed with my cement mixer. I did the floor by pouring cement from one wheelbarrow down a chute into another.

Now that I think about it, I'm not a normal American. I'm a KNUCKLEDRAGGER!

I know his comedy isn't that funny, and he's doctrinaire, and all that. But geez, there's Norman Lear, a figure of television writing history, forced by politeness to pretend excitement over a reality show. How could a hostess be that rude?

Puh-leez....it's the same thing as when Rush orchestrated "Operation Chaos"...not cool.It's what has happened on Idol the last two years. The really talented ones have been left in the dust and some loser won-{Lee and Kris]. The American people will have their say.

Sally Quinn: I wondered what I would do if I were Sarah Palin and my daughter were in this situation.

You would have folded like a cheap card table after enduring for one week what they have to put up with. From people like you.

Bristol is clearly getting votes she would never have gotten had she not been Sarah Palin's daughter.

Bristol is getting votes as pushback for all the bullshit your people have put her family through.

Those who think they are doing the right thing by doing wrong are only hurting her. They are putting her in a vulnerable position to be vilified by her mother's enemies.

Empty threat. Your kind are going to vilify her anyway. And don't think we didn't see you mutter "lone wolf!" under your breath just now.

Perhaps Sarah Palin could say to her supporters that she hopes the stories of rigging the vote aren't true; that she doesn't approve of cheating and may the best person win.

Perhaps the DNC could go first?

Whatever the reasons for this, it has left a bad taste in everyone's mouth,

Not mine. I find you tears to be delicious.

not only for the perception of dishonesty,

said the hypocrite with 7 phone lines and 35 votes...

but because of the perceived determination of Palin"s supporters to do anything they have to do to help their candidate.

whoops. You're slipping here. Appears that the real reason you are distraught is because of Sarah Palin, who is not in the show.

My favorite story is that of 67-year-old Steven Cowan who couldn't stand it another minute and blasted his TV with a shotgun after Brandy lost.

Thats your fav, eh? The one where he leveled the shotgun at his wife, forcing her to flee the house?

This could be a metaphor for things to come.

"Lone wolf! Lone wolf!" see cried. Careful Sally, your people are so confused, they might tag Tina Fey by mistake. Wouldn't that be priceless?

Sarah Palin is a force to be reckoned with and if her supporters can influence a TV show of 23 million viewers they can have more serious influence on elections. And if they can mobilize the religious right then the Democrats better pay attention and start dancing as fast as they can.

Here's a clue: the more you guys Alinksy Sarah, the more powerful her influence becomes.

And as for the people who cheated when they voted, all I can say is, "Lord have mercy!"

As I said in the cafe thread, I can't believe the Lefties are going berserk over this.

And Crack has a point. If it weren't for Ben Bradlee, nobody would know who Sally Quinn is.

PS Again, I thought the idea was to get 'stars' who are non-dancers and pair them with pros and see who does best with it.

PPS At one point, I had email accounts at work, school, and several professional organizations to which I belonged, as well as several personal ones - I had a couple of ISPs back then. So which was my real one? I've heard Ms Quinn's another of these dumber-than-a-box-of-rocks Lefties, now I can believe it.

Sally Quinn fucked the boss, broke up his marriage then married him. She was hot, just ask. But, gosh, that was over thirty years ago, long before the internets, back when having a phone with lots of lines and little buttons that light up proved that not only were you hot, but you were HOT. Is a cell phone like a phone LINE, asks Sally Quinn who fucked the boss and married him? Oh, the husband she doesn't name is the one you are supposed to know because he is Ben Bradley the former editor of the Washington Post. He and the young guys spoke truth to power back about thirty years ago.

Just to be a bit contrarian, I kind of sort of understand why Sally Quinn would plan her social schedule around DWTS. It is, after all, a live network show (despite all of the news stories that carelessly refer to it as being "taped" or "filmed"). Why not DVR the thing? For the same reason people would rather watch the Super Bowl (or just about any other televised sporting event) live, in real time, instead of on personal digital delay.

My house was built around 1976. Outside, there is an in-ground hot tub. Near the hot tub is an outdoor phone jack. I laugh whenever I look at it, because I know the original homeowners must have found that so luxurious.

Wait, I thought back when it was Gore v. Bush that we wanted the popular vote to be above all?

If Bristol is getting all of these votes because she's Palin's daughter, how is that against the rules? Don't people vote for their favorite celebrity? It's just like voting in a "real" election--you can vote for whatever reason that you want.

"Seventies flashbacks" are seldom a good thing: platform shoes, plaid doubleknits, and now Sally Quinn should all be safely relegated to the decade that spawned them.

I took a constitutional law class. A stupid, Irish law prof[also a local plaintiff's attorney/ambulance chaser] on the first day of class asked if I was related. I told him Spinelli is a fairly common name and that was a demeaning question. I got a B...deserved an A.

Ya shoulda said, "No," and let it go. Letting people know how they can get to you is never a good idea.

Actually, she comes off as pretty shallow. She is that worked up over a TV show? Teenagers, I can understand. A lady of a certain age should have more decorum. For full disclosure, I've never watched a full episode, and really don't care. And I hate Jennifer Grey's new nose.

I enjoy watching DWTS myself. Preferably via DVR, where I can skip commercials and gain 15-30 minutes of my life to spend directly with friends and family. I have access to 6 phone lines too, but only because I pay for all the cellphone bills for the family, house phone, and I could (God please don't strike me down) use my work phone.

The fact is, I don't even bother to call. None of the people mean that much to me. For example, I agree that Jennifer Grey is a better dancer, but she seems to be a jerk. My preference is for Kyle to win, but he's a Disney kid. They don't have a good track record of becoming stellar adults.

In an "ON FAITH" column, Sally Quinn claimed that DANCING is her religion and that she can never remember all Ten Commandments. Yet Quinn is qualified to write a religion column for The Washington Post but 20 year old Bristol Palin is not qualified to be in the finals of DWTS---a TV show about competing celebrity novice dancers.

Before I read Sally Qunn's nonsensical column I had no reason to bother voting for anyone in DWTS. Now I do. Go Bristol!

Sally Quinn is the epitome of the mainstream media douchenozzle. The epitome of the Beltway Elite. She is so out of touch with regular people that is just laughable.

Jennifer Grey will most likely win. The favorites usually lose in these popularity contests. Witness Adam Lambert and Crystal Boxershorts in American Idol. So maybe she should come down and go back to trying to figure out why they canceled "Maude."

It is ironic that the same folks who supported (or did not object to) the Nobel Peace Prize going to Barack Obama would find it objectionable that someone was "unfairly" given something they didn't deserve.

At least Bristol has done SOMETHING to warrant voting in her favor, where BHO had done absolutely nothing to warrant the Peace Prize, other than not be George W. Bush.

I thought The Washington Post fired Sally Quinn for using her ON Faith column to air the Ben Bradlee family squabble over competing wedding dates--Sally scheduled the wedding of her son Quinn on exactly the same date as the already scheduled wedding of Ben Bradlee's oldest granddaughter (daughter of Ben Bradlee Jr. and Martha Raddatz).

Thats the other thing about all these shows. Check the disclaimer when the credits run. Most shows will have a disclaimer that the producers have a say in who stays.

Is that true? If that disclaimer actually exists (no doubt it does) then that's almost as disappointing as meeting a guy who was on Springer three different times as three completely different characters. Both disappointments, however, do not rival finding out that both Santa Claus and Pamela Anderson's boobs are fake.

Alpha Liberal: I believe the Clintons have raked in about a quarter billion themselves. Grifters of the first order. Why, oh why, do liberals hate people who make money? Is it because they themselves can't and pretend they are above it all or don't want to? Because as dumb as Sara Palin is she is smarter than AL. And a lot richer. HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHa

There was a bit of a stink some years ago when it was reported that "American Idol" contestant contracts specified that the producers would have the ultimate say as to who the winner was.

That kicked up a storm, with people demanding to know if the producers were going to pick the winner, instead of relying on the viewer vote.

The "Idol" producers were quick to rush out with a statement saying that of course they were going to rely on the viewer vote.

Legal observers at the time didn't find anything untoward about the clause. They said it was a way for the producers to protect the franchise. For example, if the voting process were to go totally haywire, the clause would allow the producers to step in and make a good-faith attempt to set things right.

WDOR said... "It is ironic that the same folks who supported (or did not object to) the Nobel Peace Prize going to Barack Obama would find it objectionable that someone was "unfairly" given something they didn't deserve. "

As the music started and I waited breathlessly to see Bristol be told she was out.

What is about liberals that makes them so petty, small-minded, and mean-spirited?

If Bristol Palin winning DTWS makes people like Sally Quinn unhappy, then more power to her. Hell, I've never watched a single episode of DWTS but if I can leverage my multiple phone lines/email addresses to put a thumb in Sally Quinn's eye maybe it's worth it!

If only I could watch breathlessly to see Sally Quinn be told Bristol was the winner...Maybe it's time for a new show... Watching Entitled Sanctimonious Yuppies Watch Dancing With The Stars.

Shanna's right; these shows aren't about talent, but are popularity contests.

It's become completely predictable that the most talented person in this shows gets eliminated before the finals. (In a few cases this appeared to be due to voters thinking the most talented contestant is safe and throwing their votes strategically to help their second choice.)

Another trend I've noticed: If the contest is purely based on viewer votes and the choice is between two women, one clearly prettier than the other, the prettier one will almost always lose. (My theory is that viewers think everyone else will vote for the more attractive girl and don't want the plainer one to feel bad so throw her sympathy votes.)

There is a vast chasm between supporting something and not objecting to it. (For example, I do not object to California voting up or down on medical marijuana -- it's their state, they can do what they want.) How is that in any way equivalent to my supporting it?

There are many many many things in this world that I just don't give a rat's flying ass about, and I don't comment on them. But that does not mean anyone should interpret my stance as anything approaching support.

Shanna's right; these shows aren't about talent, but are popularity contests.

If the most popular was hot, sexy, funny, humble, etc, but obviously the best dancer, a great deal of Americans would still pull for an underdog. There's something innate about our culture that demands it.

A sizable chunk of my family is German (specifically East German). I don't mean immigrated from Germany...I mean they are German and live in Germany. Underdogism is something they think is quaintly American.

A douchenozzle is what the grounds crew uses to clean the New Meadowlands Stadium field after the New York Giants play. The stadium by the way is in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Why the Giants don't play in New York is a mystery to me.

The Giants don't play in New York because the real estate is too valuable to build a stadium on. We save our primo real estate for bodega's, abortion clinics and ground zero victory mosques. That is what living in a blue state is all about.

I'd agree douchenozzle is what most of the pro sports team owners are today. Hard to name even a few that are from the old school sportsman types. Today they are just in it for the money and attention. That changed in the 1970's or 1980's. Jerry Jones is Exhibit 1.

She obviously has never heard of the "Vote for the Worst" movement. A movement that developed under American Idol, and has latched onto Bristol this year as their banner participant. I'm fairly sure the VFTWers are loving that they're flying under the radar with Tea Party taking the flack for this.

That said, VFTW voting block usually peters out about this time of the season, but with the louder 'lets stick it to the elites' echoing, Bristol could pull it out.

Why are people no longer entitled to their opinions without having to endure personal attacks? Sally Quinn's point was that on DWTS presumably votes should be cast for the best dancer and not for other reasons such as making political statements, etc. Yet the blog and comments seem to dwell on what a jerk Ms. Quinn is. Why not discuss her ideas instead? If you think multiple votes to make political statements or presumably hurt others is correct and doesn't unfairly penalize the other dancers on the show then state why and have a discourse on that. Cheap shots on Ms. Quinn shouldn't pass for civil discourse.

Sally should know that Christians would never cheat or lie,and if they did they would not advertise it, so I conclude that person who wrote about how to scam the system was a witch and a follower of you know who.

Sarah Palin is engaged in politics for the money and celebrity. She is using her failed stint as Governor and run for VP to fill her pockets. And now to fill her child's pockets.

I think Alpha needs a change of reading besides Kos - it's getting to him. Dr Goebbels told us that, if you tell a lie often enough, you can get anybody to believe anything, but he never said what happens if you read the lies too much.

Martha said...

In an "ON FAITH" column, Sally Quinn claimed that DANCING is her religion and that she can never remember all Ten Commandments.

I don't watch the show much and I certainly don't vote, but I did actually see Jennifer and Bristol dancing.

I kinda resent the left insisting Bristol must be inferior. What I saw was Bristol dancing to the song and Jennifer showing a lot of flash that went as well with any other song.

Also, Jennifer wasn't dancing in the context of people threatening to kill her, shooting their guns at images of her on TV, etc.

Bristol performed much better, in my opinion, and probably deserves to be the champion. I think the screechers even know this, and are setting up this voting issue because they expect Bristol to win.

Jennifer winning would be an upset. She wasn't as good a dancer, in the limited time I watched, and she wasn't overcoming anything like Bristol was. I don't understand the people criticizing Bristol in this thread. She's working hard and entertaining people, and she's done nothing to anyone here.

Was she a professional dancer before this show? If now, that's an awful lot of work to out perform an experienced performer like Jennifer.

Quinn's big idea basically comes down to nothing more than an appeal to authority -- she's a ballroom dancer, and she says that Jennifer Grey should win, and that's just the way it is.

The fact is that people are asked to vote for their favorites, not those with the best technical skills (that's what the judges are for).

If Bristol Palin is the viewer favorite, it may be because she's the underdog, it may be because she's entertaining, or because she's Sarah Palin's daughter (or some combination of those things).

If Jennifer Grey is not the viewer favorite, it may be because she shamelessly invoked the spirit of Patrick Swayze to pander for votes or because it's hard to argue that a woman who received extensive dance training for one of the greatest and most successful dance movies of all time isn't a professional dancer.

The way that these sorts of goofy talent shows actually work is unimportant to Quinn. She's a dancer, a "good reporter", and she has dinner with Norman Lear, so she knows better than everybody else. It's perfectly valid to point out that her self-important tantrum marks her as a complete and total dipshit.

The following was lifted off of a comment posted on the Hillbuzz.org site. Is there a defense for this way of thinking?

"Since ABC has a loophole and anyone can create as many fake e-mail accounts as they want, I made over 100 of them this past Monday. On the upcoming Monday, I will use ALL 100 fake e-mail account and ALL 500+ votes for Bristol. In fact, I might even “create” a few more fake ones.

Why not? I can stay up ALL night long and keep on voting. After all, there’s NOTHING the liberals or ABC can do about it. Hell, since the contest is winding down, we might as well admit it since everyone who tries to create the fake accounts actually CAN exploit it. If the liberals can’t do it, I guess we’re just smarter than they are.

BRISTOL is going to win because none of the liberals can stay up all night long and keep voting with as many fake accounts as the rest of the Tea Party and other supporters.

So, go ahead…..Liberals can tell ABC, tell Good Morning America, blog about what I’m saying for all they want…….it’s not going to change. While they are voting 5 to 10 times for Kyle or Jennifer……we are voting over 500 at a time. In fact I CHALLENGE ABC to try and stop the barrage of online voting that will happen next Monday night……….They can’t.

Hey, the haters can blame ABC if they don’t like it. However, it’s too late……they can’t change the online voting in time to prevent us from stuffing the balloting box.

So…..yes, in a way, we can admit that there has been a conspiracy……but nevertheless, the TEA PARTY WILL WIN……….and we’ll all be up ALL NIGHT LONG to see that it happens!!!" (end of comment)

If we don't like liberals - fine. If we have a better plan - that's better still. One thing is for certain, IMHO we cannot defend this kind of sentiment regardless of which side it comes from. It was to comments such as this one Ms. Quinn was addressing.

Ann, welcome to the large group of conservative bloggers who have been duped by WAPO and a cabal of flaming homosexual pranksters. This woman Quinn is the second WAPO columnist to try to blame the known vote-rigging plot on conservatives. The first WAPO columnist was Lisa de Moraes, who cited HillBuzz as the source, but pretended that the HB'er in question was conservative, when he was actually networking with his flamer friends to tip the show. My post here.

These pranks are extremely annoying to the 20 million fans of these competition shows, the great majority of whom are looking to see an honest competition. By directing the blame for this homosexual prank onto the Palins, WAPO is setting the Palins up for serious injury, all based on a fraud. Instead of attacking the fans of these shows, you should think about first getting your facts right.

The producers do seem to reserve to themselves the ultimate decision notwithstanding fan or judges votes.

Shawn Johnson's (winner of season 8) contract is available online here:

http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0327_shawn_cast_member.swf

Se particularly section 2,b,v,G

It is a bit vague but does seem to give producers final say over the who wins.

See also how much money they make. For about 12 weeks they make a guaranteed minimum of $125m. If they don't get cut in week 2, they get an additional $10m/wk for weeks 3&4, plus $20m/wk for 5,6&7, plus $30m/wk for 8&9 plus $50m/wk for 10&11

They work hard for the money, no question. I work hard to and make nothing like that.

Fen, The quote you used was mine. However, your next statement "...Sure, call us racist gun-clinging xenophobic ignorant teabaggers, then appeal to civility" is not mine. I have never called anyone names. For the record I'm not liberal but it shouldn't make a difference in the treatment of others. Your joining of the two statements misrepresents me. I'm just a conservative (gun toting) middle-class American (perhaps naive) who feels more comfortable discussing ideas than personalities and thought others of like minds felt similarly.

If you think multiple votes to make political statements or presumably hurt others is correct and doesn't unfairly penalize the other dancers on the show then state why and have a discourse on that.

Who on earth is being hurt by people voting for Bristol? It is a freaking reality tv popularity contest for b/c/d list celebs! Nobody is being “hurt”. Jennifer Grey was in pretty much the best ballroom dance movie ever. In my mind, that makes her a ringer. What is the prize for this show, anyway?

It was the first time I read this blog. Just happenstance a Democrat was being attacked. It wouldn't have been any different if it was Ann Colter or Sarah Palin instead of Sally Quinn as the topic. BTW, though I'm sure I don't know why you would want to vote for Obama, it is your choice and I'll defend your right to do so.

The anti-Palin crowd really needs to get a clue: they hate her and yet keep making her stronger by constantly sniping at her.

Oh, wait - their desire to "stop" Palin keeps hitting up against their desire to make a buck writing books about her latest "outrage". When it comes to either making money with Palin as president or foregoing personal gain and letting Palin lapse into obscurity - well the left reveals its capitalist social parasitism.

jennifer grey is the 'best dancer' because she is a PROFESSIONAL DANCER who has taken DANCE classes since age 5 and is famous for DANCING in a movie about DANCING. where is the outrage,sally ?!? does her being in an amateur competition seems fair to you? sheesh.

@alec rawls: i couldn't really give a hoot about bristol..i've only been voting for her to keep her cute partner, mark, on the show. there..i've exposed the insidious homosexual conspiracy for all to see!! i hope you're satisfied.